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Welcome to Ask A Biologist. This site has a large collection of biology learning materials that includes stories, games, activities, videos, and a podcast.
What can evolution teach us about getting sick and how do we make use of what we are learning? Dr. Biology gets over a cold while visiting with Randy Nesse, Founding Director of the ASU Center for Evolution & Medicine. The two talk about why we get sick and some of the…
Almost all of our cells contain identical copies of DNA. But wait...with the same instructions, shouldn't all cells look and function the same? Learn how our bodies use the same instructions to make all kinds of different cells.Also in:…
An interview with arachnologist Norman Platnick. Learn about the animal that has become famous through his Marvel Comics and movie action hero.
There is something about sharks that bring out our inner fears that sends chills down our back. But these animals have an important role in the health of our oceans. There are over 500 species of sharks, which means there is a lot to be learned about them. Like, did you know some sharks do not have…
What happens when our brain fails us? As Dr. Biology, my work has never been involved with diseases that affect the mind, but I do have a personal experience with the shadowy realm of Alzheimer's and other dementias. My mother battled against this relentless adversary and I am not alone. …
An interview with palynologist Vaughn Bryant from Texas A&M. Listen in as Dr. Biology learns how pollen is providing clues for more than scientists. These tiny bits of information turn out to be something more than sneeze triggers.
It's a mystery, at least until you try to guess what animal children book author Conrad Storad is describing at the beginning of this episode. Joining Conrad is physiologist Michael Quinlan. Together they give us all the gory details behind this desert dwelling…
Imagine you want to pull a long cylinder-shaped piece of soil (called a core) out of the ground in your backyard. What kind of tools would you need? Find out how researchers collect cores in the Frozen Arctic.
Make Your Own Pocket Seed Viewer
Make Your Own Pocket Seed Viewer. You can test the effects of light, temperature and gravity. Once you are finished you can use the Excel spread sheet to graph the results. You can also compare…
Beetle Dissection
The outside of beetles can be shiny, dull, or extremely colorful. But what is going on inside of beetles…
Picking off the Peppered Moth
Get your beaks ready, it's moth-hunting time. In the Peppered Moths Game, you take on the role of the hunter and…
Cutting Out Brain Tumors
Try out some of the new techniques that neurosurgeons are using to guide them during surgery.
Bee Learning Lab
Take a trip with us today into the Bee Learning Lab. Train bees in your very own experiment and see how you can make them learn…
Skeleton Viewer
To explore the bones of the human skeleton, check out our Skeleton Viewer. Take a look further inside of a bone…
Using the Scientific Method: The Case of the Mystery Images
Play The Case of the Mystery Images
Looking for another detective assignment? Practice all the new detective skills you learned in the…
Beat the Heat
Staying safe in the heat is more than just a game, it can be a life saver. Luckily, you can see if you have what it takes to…